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*To clean mildew and mold, use a mixture of lemon juice or white vinegar and salt.  *A paste of baking soda, salt, and hot water makes a great oven cleaner.  * Lemon cuts grease, removes perspiration and other clothing stains, is a bleach alternative  (Rub it on stains and put in the sun for an hour or so, then launder as usual.  Used lemons can be frozen in a plastic bag for later use),  it cleans and dissolves soap scum and hard water deposits, cleans and shines brass and copper.  *Cedar repels moths, as does dried lemon peel or sachets of lavendar, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals and are not toxic like moth balls.  *Clean from the top down.  Give dust a chance to settle before you vacuum.  *Furniture polish:  1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Mix and apply with soft cloth, then buff.  Another recipe calls for 1/4 cup vinegar and a few drops of oil.  (Olive oil works well, or liquid wax jojoba because it never goes rancid.  You can find it in the health food store.)  *Hang laundry outside to dry.  Sunlight is a natural bleach, and nothing compares to the smell of sheets dried in the wind!  (You'll never get that from a dryer!)
*Borax, a mineral formed when salt lakes evaporate, kills and prevents re-growth of mold, deodorizes, boosts the cleaning power of soap, has a very low toxicity (do not breathe the powder), is an effective fungicide and antibacterial cleaning and bleaching agent.  Borax is an insecticide.  It kills ants,roaches,and fleas.  (Caution:  borax is associated with skin and eye irritation, respiratory irritation, may impair fertility or cause damage to unborn child.  Don't use around food.)   It scares me to death that these are the dangers associated with LOW toxicity!  Imagine what "normal" products do!  I'll tell you.  Some of the ingredients in manufactured air fresheners and deodorizers are:  xylene, a neuro-toxin;  formaldehyde, a carcinogen;  the pesticide paradichlorobenzine, a carcinogen that causes lier and kidney damage;  nerve-deadening chemicals that interfere with our sense of smell, coating our nasal passages with an oily film.
*Sweet basil repels mosquitos.  (Plant it around the patio.) 
*Water rings on wood:  With a damp cloth rub on toothpaste OR mayonaise.  *Toothpaste is a mild abrasive and makes jewelry sparkle (use an old toothbrush and rinse).  It is also a good silver polish.
*Baking soda puts out grease fires, can be used as an abrasive cleaner, sofens fabrics, and in a pinch you can brush your teeth with it, but don't use it on aluminum as it will attack it.  Will help neutralize musty mildew odor as well as odors in the fridge.  *Drain cleaner:  1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon boiling water.  Put baking soda in drain, followed by vinegar.  Close drain while foaming and flush with boiling water after 15 minutes.  (Put a used lemon in the water before boiling.  Take out before flushing drain.)
Salt is an abrasive.  For surface stains, mix with lemon juice and let it set for awhile before wiping clean.  To remove grease, mix it with vinegar.  I tried the latter on the stove-top after frying bacon and it really worked, and it didn't scratch.  I rinsed it, dried it with paper towel, and after it was dry the vinegar didn't even smell!
Fels-Naptha soap rids plants of pests (aphids and mites) and is a remedy for black spot fungus in roses.  It is pure soap, no detergents, treats and prevents poison ivy, oak and sumac, rids fleas and ticks from pets.  It is a heavy duty laundry soap, great for pretreating stained clothing.  Here is a great link for some specifics on treating poison ivy:  http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=D1001&Show=ExtInfo
*Washing soda (sodium carbonate) can be used for very stubborn stains, like engine oil.  It cleans clothes, softens water,cuts grease, disinfects, and boosts the cleaning power of soap.  Save it for really stubborn stains because it is caustic.  *All Purpose Cleaner:  1 t. borax, 1/2t. washing soda, 2T. vinegar, 1/2t. liquid castile soap, 2 c. very hot water.  Put first 4 ingredients in spray bottle and slowly add water.  Shake until dissolved.
*Herbs and essential oils can be used for disinfecting and for fragrance.  *Cornstarch starches clothes, absorbs grease and oil, cleans and deodorizes carpet, and can be used in place of baby powder.  *Aromatics:  citrus fruits, herbs, spices, cedar, flowers, essential oils.
*Shoe Polish:  Polish leather with the inside of a banana peel, then buff.  *Silver Cleaner:  Aluminim foil, baking soda, salt, very hot water.  Combine in clean sink.  Put tarnished silver in sink for a few minutes.  Tarnish will disappear form silver and re-appear on foil.  (This is a fun science experiment!)  *Mildew remover:  1/2 c. vinegar, 1/2 c. borax, warm water.  *All purpose Cleaner:  2T. borax, 1/4 c. lemon juice, 2 c. hot water.  Mix in spray bottle.
After spending three days researching store-bought and homemade cleaners I am convinced I need to make some more changes.  I have picked up some cleaners in the health food store and thought they were too expensive to switch to.  Now I can make some and keep my money.  I already use some of these products.  This week I am going to try some more.  I just want to keep moving in the right direction, one step at a time.  It's the perfect time of year to think about making changes and resolutions, and these changes affect my money, my health, and the world that I leave to my children and grandchildren.  So at 11:04 pm on New Years Eve, I think I am finally done!  Happy New Year!  I hope you can use some of these ideas, too!  Now go have some Snickerdoodles!